Travel

The Roosevelts are in Europe and have been traveling long hours by rail, by carriage, and on foot.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1869-10-09

Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed Switzerland and Scotland. He describes a carriage ride from Geneva to Chamonix. They ascended a mountain on mules to visit the Mer de Glace, a glacier on Mont Blanc. Roosevelt has been collecting stamps from the countries he has visited.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1869-11-11

Theodore Roosevelt has arrived safely in Lenox, Massachusetts. He ate eight sandwiches and twenty-four peaches while traveling. Uncle Hill picked them up and is glad to have “somebody to talk and swim with.” Martha Bulloch Roosevelt is homesick but made friends with a Shaker named Sister Belle. Roosevelt sends his love and gives instructions on how to care for his various pets.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1872-08-11

President Roosevelt invites Corinne Roosevelt Robinson to travel with him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-10-27

Theodore Roosevelt declines an invitation from Frances Theodora Parsons. He explains that he will be at a resort in Arizona throughout the summer, followed by a trip to South America in October.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1913-07-03

After hunting in Iowa, Theodore and Elliott Roosevelt have returned to Chicago, Illinois, to prepare for a trip to Wisconsin. They are enjoying themselves and have had “fair sport.” A visit to John Elliott is still under consideration. The weather has been lovely and Roosevelt has enjoyed driving across the prairies.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1880-09-12

Theodore Roosevelt describes a day trip across the Kerry countryside with Alice Lee Roosevelt. Ireland is beautiful but has a “terrible understratum of wretchedness.” He personally witnessed this in the form of a man passed out from hunger. The man was revived, fed, and sent on his way with ten shillings.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1881-05-24

The trip through Switzerland has been happy, and the mountaineering has put Theodore Roosevelt in “splendid condition.” Alice Lee Roosevelt was less enthusiastic about traveling by mule. They visited Geneva and Basel. Strasbourg Cathedral has been a highlight, especially the cathedral’s astronomical clock. Traveling has been comfortable, and nothing has been lost.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1881-08-12

Theodore Roosevelt and Elliott Roosevelt are on a hunting trip through Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. The accommodations have been rough but the hunting has been good. Elliott is the “perfection of a traveling companion.”

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1880-08-22

Theodore Roosevelt believes that it will be a valuable experience for Quentin Roosevelt to help prepare the aviation camp, even though the work is unpleasant. He sends his regards to Cord Meyer and is sure that they will both get into the “regular flying game.” Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt have been on a trip, originally so he could meet with with people of the Kansas City Star. Roosevelt will be making a few speeches but he loathes speech making and the “professional orator class.” He only talks because he cannot take any action. He cautions Quentin to look after his back so he can get back to flying.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-09-28

Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed Quentin Roosevelt’s letter describing his experience unloading the touring cars and taking them through the countryside to Paris, France. It sounded like a great experience and Roosevelt is proud of his son. He was also interested to hear that Quentin might be taking charge of the company. Roosevelt, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, Ethel Roosevelt Derby, and Flora Whitney have just returned from a trip to Toronto, Canada. He had been reluctant to speak in Canada before the United States entered the war but he thought he could be helpful now as there is “an ugly fight over the draft” in Canada.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-11-28

Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt spent four days in Washington, D.C., with Alice Roosevelt Longworth and Representative Nicholas Longworth. Roosevelt was very busy meeting with politicians, journalists, and military officers. It was difficult for Edith as many of her old friends had grown old or died. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hitchcock visited and are very proud of their son, Tommy. Hitchcock had written his parents that he has been practicing shooting all the time, and Roosevelt asks if Quentin has been able to practice. Quentin’s recent letters have been interesting, and Roosevelt encourages Quentin to write regularly to his mother and to Flora Whitney.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-01-27

Theodore Roosevelt hopes that Martha Bulloch Roosevelt is enjoying her trip. Roosevelt attended Nelly Dean’s wedding yesterday and made himself so agreeable that an “old lady” gave him a compliment. He made one blunder when some sandwiches fell into the Charlotte russe and he “helped cousin Leila to a fair share of both.”

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1871

Theodore Roosevelt was pleased to receive Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s letters and wants Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt to rest at Sagamore Hill for at least ten days before traveling to Syracuse, New York. Roosevelt is unsure of the outcome of the libel suit. The judge is very legalistic and Roosevelt finds his technical rulings incomprehensible. However, he believes that his case has been made “pretty clear.” The Wilkinsons are great hosts and admire the Derbys.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1915-05-01

Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt enjoyed her trip to Illinois and is doing “really well.” They are planning to go out riding later. It has been a comfort to see Archibald Roosevelt’s family, Grace Stackpole Lockwood Roosevelt and their son Archibald.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-08-30

Theodore Roosevelt will soon be leaving on a trip to Demerara and Trinidad but the ship’s departure keeps being delayed. He hopes that Admiral Cowles will like his new book, Fear God and Take Your Own Part.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1916-02-09

President Roosevelt greatly appreciates the gift. He suggests travel arrangements for William S. Cowles and is looking forward to seeing Anna Roosevelt Cowles and William Sheffield Cowles Jr.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1906-08-21

Theodore Roosevelt writes Anna Roosevelt Cowles to update her on the success of his hunt. He and Kermit Roosevelt are very comfortable and enjoying themselves completely. They are finding Africa to be extremely agreeable.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1909-05-19

Theodore Roosevelt stands in a mountain of mail, mostly postcards from William H. Taft, showing places “Bill” has visited during his worldly travels. Caption: T.R. (in despair) — I might have known that Bill would get the habit.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Approximately once a month Puck gave its center-spread to humor — social or topical commentary — and took a vacation from politics. This cartoon by L. M. Glackens employs President Roosevelt and Secretary of War William H. Taft; and from behind, presidential secretary William Loeb, but only in humorous fantasy.

Theodore Roosevelt writes to different individuals on a range of topics including coordinating meetings, updates on his travel and his experience with the Rough Riders.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-09-13; 1898-09-18; 1895-11-12; 1896-01-26; 1898-09-23; 1898-09-13; 1898-09-19; 1898-09-22; 1898-09-23